Opinions on this one? Dinker normal maybe?

Hmm that is an interesting thought. Apparently she as had them for a year and a half. The larger one is apparently a male, though I question that as it looks huge, and is five feet. The smaller lighter one is apparently a female and is three and a half feet. The male is 3.5 years old and the female 2.5 half, both were bought from a pet store, but apparently are captive bred by a local breeder.

I think i'm going to go and at least have a look at them tomorrow. But I'm not sure, as half of the lighter ones head is dark, maybe stuck shed? And are those darker marks on her sides burns? Or just discoloration? Maybe what the pigment looked like before? Just not sure. The smaller one is a mouse eater, which would explain the smaller size while the larger is on large rats. Both f/t.

Oh, and what kind of environmental conditions could cause pigment change?

Heh,

I wish I knew.

There have been quite a few threads on here about snakes randomly changing colour then slowly turning back in some instances - though I seem to recall they were mostly spiders? :confused:

I'm not saying that is what's happening here but the second one having it too seems unlikely if it isn't something they were exposed to.


dr del

Turns out you were right Dr Del, I asked the seller if she had changed colour at all, and she has. She used to be darker. I think I will pass. I just don't know why it would change colour like that. Could it have something to do with cage lights?

where is the lighter one at? i want it! haha it does look as though the larger one is a female and the smaller one seems like a male but you never know unless you have them probed if the lighter one has a clear belly i deffinately would have got it no second thought

Some people believe the color change is brought on my nutrition issues.

I think knowing the history, I would have hesitated myself. If I had a quarantine area already set up, and the price was right I might have risked the lighter one, but I also would have been prepared for it to darken up with proper care.

Gale

What would a clear belly represent?

Ok so here is what I think is the whole story. The larger one has lost pigment due to rubbing itself on a hide that is admittedly too small when it goes in and out.

The smaller lighter one was always on the lighter side, but has gotten increasingly lighter as it aged.

Any thoughts?

Lots of ball pythons have clear bellies, so that's nothing special.

If the smaller snake has always been light, you are confident in sexing it and it is the sex you want for a good price, go ahead and get it. But I'd still practice quarantine with it.

Gale

I'd grab that lighter one in a heartbeat. The contrasts on that snake are amazing.